Cao Bang, Vietnam — Hand-Dyed Indigo with Kilomet109
It started with a jacket — a traditional Nung indigo jacket I found in a shop in Hanoi. The fabric was unlike anything I had seen: hand-woven, hand-dyed, with a depth of colour that comes only from natural indigo and time.
At the time I had an atelier in Hanoi, and we began sourcing their fabric directly. Years later, my friend Thao — who runs the brand Kilomet109, pairing traditional weaving techniques with contemporary design — had started working closely with the same Nung weaving communities in the mountains near Cao Bang, close to the Chinese border. When I was visiting, she took me there.Every part of the fabric is grown and made by the women themselves. They harvest the cotton, spin it themselves — often on spinning wheels built from bicycle wheels — and weave it by hand. Other dyes come from cassava and magnolia blossom, alongside the indigo.
To reach that deep, dark blue, the fabric is dipped in the indigo vat eight times, then washed out in the stream. The process needs sun — the fabric comes out of the vat looking greenish, and only turns blue once the sunlight hits it.
The women work incredibly hard. It was impressive to witness, and we laughed a lot — Thao told one funny story after another, and we ended up in tears laughing.
The artisans were extraordinary to be around — warm, generous, deeply skilled. Their water buffalo lived underneath the stilt houses. A closed loop that has existed for generations, entirely self-sufficient from fibre to finished cloth.
One of the most remarkable experiences I have had travelling for the brand. And a privilege to spend that time with Thao.
Visit Kilomet109 — a brand that grows, spins, weaves and dyes every fibre in their collection, preserving ancient textile knowledge and turning it into contemporary design. There is no one else doing what they do.
After a few days in the village, we rode the motorbike to the border with China. The two countries are separated by a river with an amazing waterfall — the Ban Gioc Waterfalls.
